Some beverages practically brand themselves on how many electrolytes they provide, and these extra electrolytes can indeed be helpful for people who engage in intense exercise for an hour or longer. For people not in that situation, such drinks may do more harm than good, largely due to added sugars that can contribute to weight gain (per Harvard School of Public Health).
It is also not a good idea to have too many electrolytes in your body. Electrolytes are important, as they help transport nutrients and move wastes out of your cells, and balance your body's pH level and amount of water in your body. They also promote healthy functioning of your heart, brain, nerves, and muscles, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Despite the importance of electrolytes, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Sports drinks are not the only potential culprit, either; drinking too much water can also lead to an electrolyte imbalance, says Gundersen Health System.
This is why and how to avoid drinking too many electrolytes
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Drinking too many electrolytes can lead to an excess in potassium, which may cause muscle weakness. If the potassium excess becomes severe, it may lead to abnormal heart rhythms, and may eventually cause the heart to stop beating, according to the Merck Manual. Signs of overhydration (via sports drinks or even water) include spasms, cramps, headaches, nausea, and cloudy thinking. People with mild cases of overhydration can just stop drinking fluids for a few hours, but if a person has severe symptoms like seizures or fainting, then they need immediate medical attention (per Gundersen Health System).
That being said, overhydration is rare. For most people, getting enough fluids in the first place is a greater concern than making sure you don't get too much. On average, men and women should get 3.7 and 2.7 liters of fluids per day respectively (per Mayo Clinic), but Gundersen Health warns against drinking more than 1 liter of fluid in an hour.
You want to be sure to not overdo it. White says consuming too many electrolytes can give your body too much sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These can cause minor health issues such as dizziness, vomiting, weakness, or worse concerns such as issues with kidney function and muscular and neurological damage.
But just like anything, too many electrolytes can be unhealthy: Too much sodium, formally referred to as hypernatremia, can cause dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Too much potassium, known as hyperkalemia, can impact your kidney function and cause heart arrhythmia, nausea, and an irregular pulse.
Drinking too much electrolyte water causes an excess of potassium, resulting in muscle weakness and abnormal heart rhythms. Rather drink a combination; hydrate with normal water before your workout, and drink electrolyte water during and after.
Is it OK to drink electrolytes every day? You can drink electrolytes every day (or choose to consume a supplement instead). This is especially necessary if you exercise and/or sweat often. Electrolytes will help replace minerals, such as sodium, magnesium, and potassium, that are lost when you sweat or get sick.
Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium) need to be in balance in order to maintain healthy blood, heart rhythm, muscle function and other important functions. Drinking too much water, can cause the electrolyte levels in the body to get out of whack and cause sodium levels plummet.
Thus, a minimum average requirement for adults can be estimated under conditions of maximal adaptation and without active sweating as no more than 5 mEq/day, which corresponds to 115 mg of sodium or approximately 300 mg of sodium chloride per day.
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